Paragangliomas are rare, slow-growing tumors that frequently arise in the head and neck, with the carotid bodies and temporal bone of the skull base being the most common sites. These neoplasms are histologically similar to pheochromocytomas that form in the adrenal medulla and are divided into sympathetic and parasympathetic subtypes based on functionality. Skull base and head and neck region paragangliomas (SHN-PGs) are almost always derived from parasympathetic tissue and rarely secrete catecholamines. However, they can cause significant morbidity by mass effect on various cranial nerves and major blood vessels. While surgery for SHN-PG can be curative, postoperative deficits and recurrences make these lesions challenging to manage. Multiple familial syndromes predisposing individuals to development of paragangliomas have been identified, all involving mutations in the succinate dehydrogenase complex of mitochondria. Mutations in this enzyme lead to a state of "pseudohypoxia" that upregulates various angiogenic, survival, and proliferation factors. Moreover, familial paraganglioma syndromes are among the rare inherited diseases in which genomic imprinting occurs. Recent advances in gene arrays and transcriptome/exome sequencing have identified an alternate mutation in sporadic SHN-PG, which regulates proto-oncogenic pathways independent of pseudohypoxia-induced factors. Collectively these findings demonstrate that paragangliomas of the skull base and head and neck region have a distinct genetic signature from sympathetic-based paragangliomas occurring below the neck, such as pheochromocytomas. Paragangliomas serve as a unique model of primarily surgically treated neoplasms whose future will be altered by the elucidation of their genomic complexities. In this review, the authors present an analysis of the molecular genetics of SHN-PG and provide future directions in patient care and the development of novel therapies.


Severe acute pancreatitis is a two-phase systemic disease. The first phase is a clinical response resulting from systemic effects of proinflammatory mediators called SIRS (systemic inflammatory response syndrome), that may lead to multiple organ failure and death. The second phase, if the process is not reversed by natural defences or treatment, may be accompanied by local complications such as infected pancreatic necrosis. The severity of the disease must be established early to identify patients requiring intensive monitoring and support. The clinico-biochemical score (Ranson score) is about 80% accurate at 48 hours but is not accurate before this time; the APACHE II system has the sensitivity to predict severe pancreatitis in 61% of patients on admission. Although not perfect, the prognostic systems of severity remain better than clinical judgement. SIRS followed by local complications is accompanied by increased energy requirements and, with the absence of oral intake, a persistently negative nitrogen balance and mineral and micronutrient deficiencies. Thus, early nutritional support is indicated. Formerly, total parenteral nutrition was the standard practice for providing exogenous nutrients avoiding pancreatic stimulation. The use of early enteral feeding has recently been evaluated. Gastric atony and obstruction of the duodenum by pancreatic oedema or necrosis have been overcome by delivering enteral nutrition to the jejunum, distal to the ligament of Treitz; in this position, regular diets do not stimulate pancreatic secretions. The efficacy, tolerance, clinical outcome and cost of enteral nutrition suggest that this feeding route should be preferred in patients with severe acute pancreatitis.


: Fostering better performance in a creative experience is an issue in every institution of design or art. What aspect does a creative experience possess and what kind of cognitive processes constitute it? How should students be trained to entertain the use of cognitive skills, if any, in building up a creative experience of their own? The purpose of the present paper is to examine these issues to lay the foundation for the pedagogy of a creative experience. Examining the cognitive processes of an experienced architect, we found that a creative experience has the aspect of problem-finding; an act of formulating one's own problems and resolving them rather than just solving a presented problem. Further, we found that a coordination of both perceptual reorganization and conceptual generation constitutes an act of problem-finding in a creative experience. Experiments using ambiguous drawings have shown that coordinating one's own perception and conception for inventing novel interpretations requires a cognitive skill, what we call the skill of constructive perception; that is, to be self-aware of the way perception underlies the current interpretation and thereby reorganize perception and generate novel interpretations. How to help students master this skill and how to design educational programs to allow for accomplishment of acts of problem-finding will be discussed.


Enhancers are indispensable elements in various developmental stages, orchestrating numerous biological processes via the elevation of gene expression with the aid of transcription factors. Enhancer variations have been linked to various onset of genetic diseases, highlighting their equal importance as the coding regions in the genome. Despite the first enhancer, SV40 been discovered four decades ago, the progress in enhancer identification and characterization is still in its infancy. As more genome sequences are made available, especially from that of the non-human primates, we can finally study the enhancer landscape of these primates that differs evolutionarily from that of human. One interesting genome to investigate is that of the proboscis monkey as it is deemed as one of the most ancient primates alive to date with unique morphological and dietary characteristics; it is also one of the IUCN endangered species with the strong demands for immediate conservation. In this review, we provide some justifications and considerations of selecting the proboscis monkey as a model for enhancer landscape discovery. It is hoped that more conservation research and protective measures can come in time to prevent this species from extinction.


Spark-assisted chemical engraving (SACE) is a flexible, simple and inexpensive method for machining electrically non-conductive materials. SACE is particularly interesting because of the high drilling speed that can be achieved compared to other micromachining technologies. In this paper, the issue of drilling speed decreasing from 100 µm s−1 to 10 µm s−1 for micro-hole depths more than 200–300 µm is analyzed. To understand better the material removal mechanism, with the target to eliminate this limit, a model for the material removal mechanism as a hybrid mechanism combining local heating and chemical etching is presented and compared with experimental data. The comparison between the model and experiment allowed the estimation of the machining temperature to be around 600 °C.


Logistics as a scientific and practical direction, covering a wide range of business activities, has gained a strong position in the world economic system. As a priority has proved the concept of integrated logistics, based on the consolidation of the participants of freight and goods movement system to ensure continuity and regularity of material products and associated information, service and financial flows in the intra, regional, inter-regional, sectoral and international levels. The experience of the developed capitalist countries shows that the use of logistics systems is to reduce transport costs by 7-20%. The costs of handling and storage of material resources and finished products are reduced by 15-30%; total logistics costs to 12-35%. Accelerated turnover of material resources by 20-40%. Reserves and resources of finished goods reduced by 50-100%. In short, the game is worth the candle. The formation of market relations in Russia urgently requires the formation of transport and logistics infrastructure. Its fundamental, system-elements should be hubs, main and local railways, container and working with products terminals, multimodal transport and logistics centers (MTLTS). In large network-wide units of federal and international level, such as Moscow, Leningrad (St. Petersburg), Krasnodar and others. Target-consistent creation of a network of regional terminals and logistic centers, Union-United in regional integrated transport and logistics system.


Introduction: During pregnancy, most of the iron endowment occurs in third trimester; so preterm infant are deprived of iron which leads to anaemia of prematurity. The problems associated with anaemia in preterm babies as well as its treatment (blood transfusion) are multiple and involve significant risks. Anaemia hinders normal growth and contributes to postnatal malnutrition in most low birth weight preterm neonates who are hospitalised for a long time. Delayed cord clamping in preterm infants results in an 8% to 24% increase in blood volume.This extra amount of blood may increase haemoglobin as well as iron content in preterm neonates. Objective: To observe the effect of timing of cord clamping on iron status of preterm neonates. Methods: It is a prospective randomized control trial. Total 40 preterm neonates of gestational age of less than 37 weeks were included in this study, they were allocated in Early Cord Clamping (ECC) group and Delayed Cord Clamping (DCC) group by random sampling technique. To estimate iron status in both groups at neonatal period, blood was collected to measure Hb, MCV, TIBC, serum iron, ferritin at 24 hrs of age and at 28 days of age. Results: This study shows that there is significant high Hb, iron and ferritin levels in delayed cord clamping group of preterm neonates. The results of Hb, serum iron and ferritin levels at 24hrs of age in ECC group were 16.53(±2.13)g/dl, 52.20(±38.78)μg/dl and 127.63(±57.45)μg/L, these parameters in DCC group were 18.65(±2.08)g/dl, 84.35(±35.03)μg/l and 188.88(±107.58)μg/L respectively.These results were significant with the p value of <0.05. These results were also significant at 28 days of life. But regarding Mean Corpuscular Volume (MCV) and Total Iron Binding Capacity (TIBC) parameters, they were not significant either in day 1 or in day 28. Conclusion: Delayed cord clamping improves iron status in preterm neonates status in early versus delayed cord clamping groups of preterm neonates delivered in certain referral hospital. Journal of Armed Forces Medical College Bangladesh Vol.10(2) 2014


Radiolarites of the Ligurian sequence are rhythmic alternations of generally red chert and shale beds from 1 to 10 cm thick that overlie ophiolite rocks of presumed oceanic crust and underlie pelagic and redeposited limestone. The rhythmic bedding is the product of deposition of radiolarian sand beds and some overlying mud by turbidity currents and possibly other marine bottom currents that alternated with episodes of slow deposition of hemipelagic red clay. Evidence of current deposition of radiolarian sand beds includes: tightly packed Radiolaria; presence of hydraulically-equivalent clasts of red clay and ophiolite debris; beds with grading, laminations, current-ripple cross-beds, and flute and groove casts. Chert beds formed principally by dissolution of the more delicate Radiolaria and reprecipitation of silica cement as either microcrystalline quartz or opal C-T around more resistant Radiolaria during burial diagenesis. Radiolarite has abrupt lateral differences in thickness (from absent to 200 m), which reflects deposition on a highly uneven sea floor. An interpretation of the depth of water during radiolarite deposition depends in part on how one interprets the origin of ophicalcite that locally underlies radiolarite. Ophicalcite consists of clasts of serpentinite and locally gabbro and peridotite in a pink calcite microspar matrix, the whole cut by white vein-filling calcite of younger tectonic origin. Ophicalcite can be interpreted as a breccia formed by total recrystallization, in part, of pelagic carbonate ooze deposited along ocean spreading ridges or as paleocaliche that developed upon ophiolite exposed above sea level. Evidence to support a pedogenic origin of ophicalcite includes textures and structures identical with caliche, silicified serpentinite masses (jasper) whose texture and mineral composition mimic modern soils on serpentinite, presence of a flat ?wave-cut surface beneath radiolarite, upward increase within ophicalcite of both calcite and oxidized serpentinite debris, and absence or thinness of radiolarite on paleotopographic highs. Many unanswered problems exist to both the above hypotheses. The deep-water hypothesis (favored by EFM) is that deposition took place on oceanic crust in water deeper than wave base (>200 m) and probably deeper than 2500 m; the latter depth implies the existence of a CCD during Late Jurassic time to account for the absence of carbonate in radiolarite. The shallow-water hypothesis (favored by RLF) is that deposition took place on previously exposed subsiding oceanic crust in water depths from a few meters to a few hundred meters; the absence of carbonate in radiolarite is attributed to local scarcity of carbonate-producing plankton compared to the overwhelming supply of clay from weathered ophiolite. Both hypotheses involve the interpretation that radiolarian-rich sediment, initially deposited on topographic highs, was transported into adjacent troughs by turbidity and other marine currents; the deeper troughs were floored by pillow lavas.


Soil in comparison with other objects in the human habitat, is the place of maximum pesticide accumulation. Soil is a link in the biosphere that is both the start and the end of many migration routes of xenobiotics along the soil-water-air and food chains. Therefore, it is necessary to strictly control the xenobiotic content of soil as an additional criterion for the degree of contamination of adjacent environments at acceptable levels. The purpose of the present experimental study was to investigate the migration-water hazard indicator of a benzoylurea derivative pesticide active ingredient and its formulation and to establish an evidence-supported threshold concentration for the pesticide in soil according to this hazard indicator. The migration-water hazard indicator characterizes the processes of pesticide migration from soil to groundwater. The study was conducted under the standard and comparable soil and microclimatic conditions using a soil model standard and special laboratory filtration units. The method of laboratory modeling is a mandatory step in the study of the migration of pesticides in soil.


Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) and severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS)-related coronaviruses (e.g., 2019-nCoV and SARS-CoV) are phylogenetically distantly related, but both are capable of infecting human hosts via the same receptor, angiotensin-converting enzyme 2, and cause similar clinical and pathological features, suggesting their phenotypic convergence. Yet, the molecular basis that underlies their phenotypic convergence remains unknown. Here, we used a recently developed molecular phyloecological approach to examine the molecular basis leading to their phenotypic convergence. Our genome-level analyses show that the spike protein, which is responsible for receptor binding, has undergone significant Darwinian selection along the branches related to 2019-nCoV and SARS-CoV. Further examination shows an unusually high proportion of evolutionary convergent amino acid sites in the receptor binding domain (RBD) of the spike protein between COVID-19 and SARS-related CoV clades, leading to the phylogenetic uniting of their RBD protein sequences. In addition to the spike protein, we also find the evolutionary convergence of its partner protein, ORF3a, suggesting their possible co-evolutionary convergence. Our results demonstrate a strong adaptive evolutionary convergence between COVID-19 and SARS-related CoV, possibly facilitating their adaptation to similar or identical receptors. Finally, it should be noted that many observed bat SARS-like CoVs that have an evolutionary convergent RBD sequence with 2019-nCoV and SARS-CoV may be pre-adapted to human host receptor ACE2, and hence would be potential new coronavirus sources to infect humans in the future.


There are several indicators that distinguish an academic discipline, including journals, conferences, and graduate programs. One of them is the presence of academic publications in well-regarded citation indices such as Web of Science (WoS). This study explored the bibliometric characteristics of publications on "second language writing" (SLW) covered in the Social Sciences Citation Index and the Arts & Humanities Citation Index of WoS. We found that, while the first appeared in 1992 with a steady increase in recent years, there were a total of 266 SLW publications, mostly in the linguistics research area (92%), in the WoS between 1900 and 2013. The publications included articles, book reviews, and bibliographies written by 1.64 authors per publication, suggesting a low level of collaborations among SLW scholars. They cited 31.44 publications and received citations from 5.90 publications on average. An average SLW title had 2.49 different words and a total of 10.85 words, with an abstract of about five sentences and about six keywords and diverse topics including second language writing, writing, academic writing, error correction, and plagiarism. Our findings will be of value to second language writing scholars, graduate students, and practitioners for examining the status of their field.


Patellofemoral dysplasia is a major predisposing factor for instability of the patellofemoral joint. However, there is no consensus as to whether patellofemoral dysplasia is genetic in origin, caused by imbalanced forces producing maltracking and remodelling of the trochlea during infancy and growth, or due to other unknown and unexplored factors. The biomechanical effects of patellofemoral dysplasia on patellar stability and on surgical procedures have not been fully investigated. Also, different anatomical and demographic risk factors have been suggested, in an attempt to identify the recurrent dislocators. Therefore, a comprehensive evaluation of all the radiographic, MRI and CT parameters can help the clinician to assess patients with primary and recurrent patellar dislocation and guide management. Patellofemoral dysplasia still represents an extremely challenging condition to manage. Its controversial aetiology and its complex biomechanical behaviour continue to pose more questions than answers to the research community, which reflects the lack of universally accepted guidelines for the correct treatment. However, due to the complexity of this condition, an extremely personalised approach should be reserved for each patient, in considering and addressing the anatomical abnormalities responsible for the symptoms. Cite this article: EFORT Open Rev 2017;2. DOI: 10.1302/2058-5241.2.160081. Originally published online at www.efortopenreviews.org


Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to argue for the need of continuously revisiting and reformulating the contributions of past research. In particular the focus is on project management writings. In addition, the purpose of the paper is to introduce the reader to the special issue on Classics in project management and give an overview of the different contributions.Design/methodology/approach – The paper is based on literature in related fields and the approach is paradigmatic, illustrating the value of common literature and common language to develop a knowledge domain.Findings – The authors provide an introductory framework and arguments for the need to revisit the contributions of the past. Since "the past" and readings of it will continuously change and develop, exploring it is not a "one-off" job, but part of the dialogue within the academic community. From an evolutionary perspective, the authors make the point that an important role for scholars is to "store" knowledge from the past to tell the stories found in prior research, the influential ideas and their development within the knowledge domain/discipline. In a critical realm, the authors also see the role of critical engagement with the past to question what we take for granted to be able to improve our collective ability to think and from that end develop project management thinking and research. In that sense, revisiting the past might provide avenues to future research and adventurous explorations.Originality/value – The authors introduce the idea of classics in project management as an ongoing and important debate among scholars within the field. This discussion has so far received only limited attention among scholars in the field of project management.


Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) present with deficits in social communication and social interaction, as well as restricted and repetitive behaviors, interests, and activities. Theory of Mind (ToM) has been identified as a key factor in social development in both typically developing (TD) children and children with ASD. One proposed explanation for the deficits in social development characteristic in ASD is that deficits in ToM, particularly the ability to infer the mental states of self and others, results in impairments in social development. Researchers have found that affect recognition is a precursor in the development of ToM which occurs during early childhood. Researchers have also begun exploring parental factors that may influence affect recognition abilities in TD children and children with ASD. The current study sought to explore the moderating role of parent emotion coaching on the mediating role of affect recognition abilities on ToM in TD and children with ASD. The sample included 17 children ages 3:3 to 6:11 and one of their parents. ToM was measured using a battery of diverse belief and false belief tasks. Affect recognition was measured using the affect recognition subtest of A Developmental Neuropsychological Assessment (Korkman, Kirk & Kemp, 2007). Parent metaemotion coaching was assessed with a semi-structured meta-emotion interview with the parent (Gottman, Katz, & Hooven, 1996). Results from main analyses did not find significant relations between developmental status and parent meta-emotion, affect recognition abilities, or theory of mind abilities. The moderated mediation model was not supported. Results from ancillary analyses indicated a majority of parents identified their child's characteristics influenced their meta-emotion philosophies. However, parents of children with ASD were more likely to identify that their child's characteristics made emotion socialization more difficult. Results indicated affect recognition abilities were positively related to age. Parents' meta-emotion philosophies about their child's regulation of emotions were negatively related to children's overall affect recognition errors. Parent's meta-emotion philosophies about their child's regulation of sadness was also negatively related to child sadness recognition errors. Consistent with previous research, results demonstrated a trend of increasing difficulty through the battery of ToM tasks.


Dedukti has been proposed as a universal proof checker. It is a logical framework based on the λΠ-calculus modulo that is used as a backend to verify proofs coming from theorem provers, especially those implementing some form of rewriting. We present a shallow embedding into Dedukti of proofs produced by Zenon Modulo, an extension of the tableau-based first-order theorem prover Zenon to deduction modulo and typing. Zenon Modulo is applied to the verification of programs in both academic and industrial projects. The purpose of our embedding is to increase the confidence in automatically generated proofs by separating untrusted proof search from trusted proof verification.


We present Ghostfinger, a technology for highly dynamic up/down fingertip haptics and control. The overall user experience offered by the technology can be described as that of tangibly and audibly interacting with a small hologram. More specifically, Ghostfinger implements automatic visualization of the dynamic instantiation/parametrization of algorithmic primitives that together determine the current haptic conditions for fingertip action. Some aspects of this visualization are visuospatial: A floating see-through cursor provides real-time, to-scale display of the fingerpad transducer, as it is being moved by the user. Simultaneously, each haptic primitive instance is represented by a floating block shape, type-colored, variably transparent, and possibly overlapping with other such block shapes. Further aspects of visualization are symbolic: Each instance is also represented by a type symbol, lighting up within a grid if the instance is providing output to the user. We discuss the system's user interface, programming interface, and potential applications. This is done from a general perspective that articulates and emphasizes the uniquely enabling role of the principle of computation in the implementation of new forms of instrumental control of musical sound. Beyond the currently presented technology, this also reflects more broadly on the role of Digital Musical Instruments (DMIs) in NIME.


Whenever biologically unrelated mates become scarce, consanguineous marriages become a potential option for procreation. Despite the genetic harms caused by inbreeding, kin unions still produce more viable offspring than the alternative: remaining single. We present a family that, due to loss of its high social status, was unable to find unrelated mates for their children. The solution was a marriage arranged between first cousins, which produced five children with genetic disorders. By the time these defective children became adults, the social status of the family improved. Thus, for their four unfit daughters, the parents could arrange marriages with healthy and biologically unrelated men. These unions produced four healthy children. We analyze the interaction of mate choice, sexuality, inbreeding avoidance, altruism and parental investment to establish that close-kin marriages are an adaptive response to a shortage of unrelated mates.


Beautifully written and utterly absorbing from the first word, this a haunting coming-of-age novel that's good enough to eat...Abandoned by her mother with only some cash, her birth certificate and the rucksack on her back, a young woman named Maren sets off on a long journey of self-discovery. She doesn't blame her mother for leaving; she's only too aware of the trail of pain and tragedy that lies in her wake, following her like a ghost. Innumerable schools and relocations later, Maren is determined to find the key to who she is, and why she does the things she does. For Maren has urges that she can't control. Cannabalistic urges. And now she's desperate to take control. Camille DeAngelis worked as an Editorial Assistant in Non-Fiction and as a travel writer before turning her hand to writing fiction. She lives in New Jersey.


Mesacanthus mitchelli is an important taxon in elucidating relationships amongst stem chondrichthyans, being the best known and most abundant of the oldest known acanthodiform acanthodians. Here we note some newly recognised morphological features and describe the histological structure of the endoskeleton and dermal elements. The jaws are preserved as a single layer of irregularly tessellate bone-like mineralisations. A mandibular bone is not present, contrary to previous descriptions. Fin spines have a wide central cavity that is more than half the width at mid-spine level. Prepelvic spines have a very narrow leading edge ridge and a wide open pulp cavity. Head sensory lines are enclosed by a pair of tesserae with a smooth crown, flat base and concave sides, bordering the sensory line canal. The tiny body scales have a relatively large pulp cavity in the embryonic zone. The large size of the eyes relative to the head and body size in Mesacanthus mitchelli, the structure and small size of the scales relative to those of other acanthodians of a similar size, and the wide central pulp cavity in the spines, all indicate that the species is likely to have undergone paedomorphism.


Background The impulse oscillometry is increasingly used for assessing the oscillatory mechanics of the respiratory system. The within-breath behaviour of the oscillatory mechanics in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a well-known physiological feature. The purpose of this study was to develop a new approach for assessing this feature using impulse oscillometry. Methods The oscillatory mechanics were assessed by a commercially available impulse oscillometry device. The respiratory system resistance (Rrs) and reactance (Xrs) were measured during tidal breathing in patients with COPD (n=39) and healthy subjects (n=5). Selected data, the Rrs at 5 Hz (R5), Rrs at 20 Hz (R20), Xrs at 5 Hz (X5), and resonant frequency of Xrs (Fres) every 0.2 s, were extracted from the device. These data were divided into eight time fractions during the respiratory cycle to form averaged respiratory phases. Results The time courses of the R5 and X5 were notably dependent on the respiratory cycles in patients with COPD, while there was little such dependency in healthy subjects. Irrespective of respiratory phase, R5 and Fres increased, and X5 fell to a more negative level in patients with COPD in a severity-dependent fashion. The increase in the R5 and negative level in the X5 were more prominent in the middle of the expiratory phase. The severity dependence in the R20 was relatively small compared with that in the R5. Conclusions The results of this study suggest that impulse oscillometry can assess the within-breath behaviour of the oscillatory mechanics with high temporal resolution, which may be helpful for evaluating the severity of COPD. Further studies are needed to reveal which biomarkers obtained with this approach would be suitable for evaluating the airway obstruction.


Matrix GLA protein (MGP) has previously been shown to enhance expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) through the activin-like kinase receptor 1 (ALK1) in bovine aortic endothelial cells. MGP has also been identified as an inhibitor of bone morphogenetic protein-2 (BMP-2). This study showed that the effect of MGP on ALK1 signaling and VEGF expression in bovine aortic endothelial cells was dose-dependent, that a progressive increase of MGP levels ceased to be stimulatory and instead turned inhibitory. We identified a new regulatory pathway involving BMP that may explain this response. BMP-2 and BMP-4 induced expression of ALK1 in a dose-dependent fashion as determined by real-time PCR and immunoblotting. Activation of ALK1 signaling induced expression of MGP in addition to that of VEGF, allowing for negative feedback regulation of BMP by MGP. MGP inhibited BMP-4 activity similarly to that of BMP-2 and interacted with BMP-4 on a protein level as determined by co-immunoprecipitation. The dose-dependent effect on ALK1 expression and the stimulation of MGP and VEGF expression were dependent on signaling by transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) and ALK1. Inhibition of TGF-β by neutralizing antibodies abolished the inhibitory effect of high BMP-4 levels on ALK1 expression and the induction of MGP and VEGF. Depletion of ALK1 by small interfering RNA abolished the induction of MGP and VEGF. MGP promoter activity was also stimulated by BMP-4 in a TGF-β-dependent fashion. The results suggest that the effects of BMP on endothelial cells occur in part through induction of ALK1, an effect that may be limited by ALK1-induced MGP.


Space is important for learning and socializing. Cyberworlds provide a new space for socialization and communication with a great degree of flexibility, allowing users to create and manipulate virtual land. This suggests considering virtual spaces as artifacts. In this paper we use different theoretical approaches on artifacts and experiences of usage of a virtual world we have created to revise the original design and to derive a new set of requirements for virtual places and spatial artifacts.


Mobile communications are permeating virtually every aspect of our lives. The market is experiencing rapid improvements in technologies, while mobile operators are trying to figure out new ways their infrastructures can provide services to the customers. Furthermore, userinnovation with new ways of using these technologies generates powerful feedback loops back into the innovation processes. In this turbulent environment it is difficult to capture and conceptualize how newness comes about and what the main characteristics of innovation are. The aim of this paper is to illustrate how the concept of interactive innovation can be applied to explain the development of mobile services. This study adopts the perspective of the developer rather than the user. Moreover, through the social construction of technology lens, the concepts of sense-making and bricolage are applied to explain the innovation appropriation process during the mobile data value chain improvement process. One of the conclusions drawn is that in the rapidly changing and complex context of mobile services development, the traditional notion of 'interactive innovation' cannot fully explain this phenomenon that takes place.


The local treatment of periodontitis has recently received extensive attention due to the advantages of mild systemic side effects and a high local drug concentration. But the local drug delivery systems are not widely used in clinical practice, and a major obstacle is the poor tissue permeability. In the present study, we report a copper nanodot based ionic gel (Cu-NDs/IL gel) with favorable tissue penetration capability, and it concurrently exhibits antibacterial and anti-inflammatory functions. A Cu-NDs/IL gel was prepared by loading copper nanodots (Cu-NDs) with triple enzyme-like activities into a multifunctional gel. The derived Cu-NDs/IL gel possesses remarkable antibacterial properties attributed to the peroxidase-like activity of Cu-NDs. In addition, Cu-NDs mimic superoxide dismutase and catalase activities, which endow the gel with excellent free radical scavenging capability in a neutral environment to relieve periodontal inflammation. More importantly, the IL moiety in the Cu-NDs/IL gel promotes the penetration of Cu-NDs into the gingival tissue, wherein the triple enzymatic activity of Cu-NDs may function. In short, the Cu-NDs/IL gel has promising potential to serve as a topical drug for periodontitis by promoting penetration, killing bacteria, and scavenging ROS.


Background and Aim: Clinical strains of microorganisms, including pathogenic yeast-like fungi (YLF), are resistant to currently used antifungal agents. Thus, it is relevant to study the combinations of existing antimicrobial drugs and a medicinal extract of plant origin (farnesol). In previous studies, farnesol showed a relatively strong anti-biofilm effect against Candida albicans. This study aimed to determine how much the resistance profile of non-biofilm microorganisms can change. Materials and Methods: Six clinical isolates of C. albicans and one reference strain were used to study the interaction of farnesol with the most used antimycotics. To determine the sensitivity of YLF to antimycotic drugs, such as nystatin (50 μg), amphotericin B (10 μg), ketoconazole (10 μg), clotrimazole (10 μg), voriconazole (10 μg), fluconazole (25 μg), miconazole (10 μg), and intraconazole (10 μg), the classic disk diffusion method was used. In the second stage, one of the six strains was used to simulate candidiasis of the gastrointestinal tract in an in vivo quail model. As an unusual experimental design, this study investigated the effects of pretreated C. albicans in quails, not the in vivo pathogenicity of C. albicans, after treatment with farnesol. Results: The resistance profiles of Candida strains did not improve with farnesol in all strains. All concentrations of farnesol (100, 50, and 25 μM) demonstrated a fungistatic effect (i.e., an increase in drug sensitivity) in 23 of 56 (7×8) cases (41%). The remaining 54% demonstrated no changes in the resistance to antifungal drugs or deterioration of the indicators in rare cases (5%). At 100 μM farnesol, sensitivity improved in 33 of 56 cases (59%). Candidiasis or the severity of clinical disease of the quail digestive tract developed to a lesser extent if fungi were treated with farnesol. Conclusion: Farnesol does not always show a positive result on single cells without biofilm in the laboratory. However, in a biofilm or an in vivo model with biofilms, farnesol can be considered a new antimycotic drug or an additive to existing antimycotics.


West Nile virus has been a worry for U.S. public health departments for more than a decade, but the outbreak this year could be on track to be the country9s largest ever. It has already prompted a blitz of warnings to avoid virus-infected mosquitoes, underlined with a caveat: There is no vaccine or treatment for West Nile infection. Researchers say the failure is not for lack of trying.


Recent advances in photon scanning tunneling microscopy made it possible to image with subwavelength resolution near-field intensity distributions of EM fields near rough surfaces irradiated by external light. This technique allows one to study localization and amplification of local fields near such surfaces, which is important for understanding of rough surface enhancement of nonlinear optical processes. We will discuss numerical and experimental studies of the spectral dependence and spatial distribution of local EM fields near the surface of self-affine silver films with nanometer structured roughness. We use the discrete-dipole approximation for numerical simulations and treat a rough surface as a collection of pointlike polarizable dipoles distributed in space according to two different algorithms.


Spiking neural networks (SNNs) are considered to be more biologically plausible and lower power consuming than traditional artificial neural networks (ANNs). SNNs use discrete spikes as input and output, but how to process and learn these discrete spikes efficiently and accurately still remains a challenging task. Moreover, most existing learning methods are inefficient with complicated neuron dynamics and learning procedures being involved. In this paper, we propose efficient alternatives by firstly introducing a simplified and efficient neuron model. Based on it, we develop two new multi-spike learning rules together with an event-driven scheme being presented to improve the processing efficiency. We show that, with the as-proposed rules, a single neuron can be trained to successfully perform challenging tasks such as multi-category classification and feature extraction. Our learning methods demonstrate a significant robustness against various strong noises. Moreover, experimental results on some real-world classification tasks show that our approaches yield higher efficiency with less requirement on computation resource, highlighting the advantages and potential of spike-based processing and driving more efforts towards neuromorphic computing.


Hepatic triglycéride(TG) accumulation appeared to vary inversely up to a point with the level of dietary myo-inositol in the absence of dietary choline, and each of the major fatty acids of liver TG was similarly affected. Although the composition of the major fatty acids changed little, 16:1 was generally higher and 18:0 lower in the liver TG of myo-inositol-deficient rats. Furthermore, both the level and the fatty acid composition of non-esterified fatty acids (NEFA) in liver changed dramatically. Supplementation of diets containing myo-inositol or choline with DL-methionine (0.2% by weight) did not significantly influence hepatic TG concentrations. Even when choline was present in the diet at the National Research Council (NRC) requirement (5.4 mmol/kg diet), supplementary myo-inositol decreased further liver TG levels below the levels achievable with choline alone. Dietary myo-inositol was as efficient as choline on a molar basis in preventing the accumulation of TG in liver when compared at 5.4 mmol/kg diet. J. Nutr. 110: 496-504, 1980. INDEXING


A nanostructured surface layer was synthesized in a pure copper plate by means of surface mechanical attrition (SMA). The evolutions of microstructure and orientation were examined by using XRD, TEM and ODF. The microstructural evolution with the treatment time can be divided into two stages: the first is characterized by a formation of nc grains with small to medium misorientations in the surface layer and a texture transformation from rolling type to shear one in the near-surface layer, and the second by a significant increment of misorientations between the nc grains and a texture transformation from shear type back to rolling one. It might be reasonably deduced that shear stress can effectively induce grain refinement, and the combination of shear and compress stresses might be helpful for the increment of grain boundary misorientations.


We perform a systematic study of elliptic flow (v2) in Au+Au collisions at s NN = 5 GeV by using a microscopic transport model, JAM. The centrality, pseudorapidity, transverse momentum and beam energy dependence of v2 for charged as well as identified hadrons are studied. We investigate the effects of both the hadronic mean-field and the softening of equation of state (EoS) on elliptic flow. The softening of the EoS is realized by imposing attractive orbits in two body scattering, which can reduce the pressure of the system. We found that the softening of the EoS leads to the enhancement of v2, while the hadronic mean-field suppresses v2 relative to the cascade mode. It indicates that elliptic flow at high baryon density regions is highly sensitive to the EoS and the enhancement of v2 may probe the signature of a first-order phase transition in heavy-ion collisions at beam energies of a strong baryon stopping region.


"The literary oeuvre of the controversial writer of dramas and novellas Heinrich von Kleist (1777-1811) continues to fascinate scholars of German literature even today, nearly two centuries after his death by suicide. Over the years, disagreements among Kleist scholars have been so extreme that some have suggested that his work subverts the very process of interpretation. Sean Allan challenges this view and the related one of Kleist as a profound pessimist. He argues that the focus on Kleist's uninterpretability has obscured important elements of social criticism present in his "moral tales." To this end, Allan approaches the stories via an investigation of four thematic clusters: justice and revenge; revolution and social change; education and the nature of evil; and art and religion. Moreover, Allan suggests that the perspective endorsed by the narrator reflects the assumptions and prejudices of the members of the dominant class of Kleist's time (authoritarian and male-dominated as it was), and finds that by the end of the stories it is precisely this perspective that has been profoundly called into question."


Numerous studies have been carried out to compensate or eliminate the dead-time effect. This paper analyzes the limitations of the previous compensation or elimination schemes. Then, a novel mixed pulsewidth-modulation scheme for dead-time elimination and compensation is proposed for the grid-tied inverter. The proposed scheme implements the dead-time elimination in most of the grid current fundamental period but switches to the conventional dead-time compensation around the zero-crossing point. In this way, a safe and efficient dead-time effect elimination method is achieved. Furthermore, this paper proposes to determine the switching point and the compensation direction by the grid current modulation function. Experimental results are given to demonstrate the validity and features of the proposed method.


Cholesterol, an important lipid in animal membranes, binds to hydrophobic pockets within many soluble proteins, transport proteins and membrane bound proteins. The study of cholesterol–protein interactions in aqueous solutions is complicated by cholesterol's low solubility and often requires organic co-solvents or surfactant additives. We report the synthesis of a biotinylated cholesterol and immobilization of this derivative on a streptavidin chip. Surface plasmon resonance (SPR) was then used to measure the kinetics of cholesterol interaction with cholesterol-binding proteins, hedgehog protein and tyrosine phosphatase 1B.


Increasing research efforts try to identify biological markers in order to support or eventually replace current practices of diagnosing mental disorders. Inasmuch as these disorders refer to subjective mental states, such efforts amount to their objectification. This gives rise to conceptual as well as empirical challenges: What kind of things are mental disorders? And how to deal with situations where subjective reports, clinical decisions, and brain scans contradict each other? The present paper starts out with a discussion of recent efforts to objectify beauty. Such attempts to quantify and localize psychological constructs in the brain are compared to earlier examples from the history of psychology. The paper then discusses personal and social implications of the objectification of subjective mental states, including mental disorders. The construct of Major Depressive Disorder, one of the most prevalent mental disorders, is then analyzed in more detail. It turns out that this is a very complex construct probably associated with highly heterogeneous actual instances of the disorder. It is then shown that it is unlikely to replace these symptoms' descriptions with patterns of brain activations, at least in the near future, given these patterns' empirical lack of specificity. The paper then discusses which of the disorder's core symptoms are more or less amenable to behavioral or neuroscientific investigation and analyses whether the heterophenomenological method can solve the problem. The conclusion is that the disorder construct is neither entirely subjective, nor completely objectifiable, and that clinical experts do well by continuing to take a pragmatical stance.


The correct configuration of HTTPS is a complex set of tasks, which many administrators have struggled with in the past. Let's Encrypt and Electronic Frontier Foundation's Certbot aim to improve the TLS ecosystem by offering free trusted certificates (Let's Encrypt) and by providing user-friendly support to configure and harden TLS (Certbot). Although adoption rates have increased, to date, there has been only a little scientific evidence of the actual usability and security benefits of this semi-automated approach. Therefore, we conducted a randomized control trial to evaluate the usability of Let's Encrypt and Certbot in comparison to the traditional certificate authority approach. We performed a within-subjects lab study with 31 participants. The study sheds light on the security and usability enhancements that Let's Encrypt and Certbot provide. We highlight how usability improvements aimed at administrators can have a large impact on security and discuss takeaways for Certbot and other security-related tasks that experts struggle with.


The paper discusses an experimental demonstration of Bloch oscillations connected with Bragg reflection of electrons from the first miniband edge in superlattices of different silicon carbide polytypes. The original experimental method was geared towards obtaining a strong uniform electric field meeting the conditions of Bloch oscillations. Direct measurements have allowed observation of the negative differential conduction associated with the Bloch oscillations for polytypes 4G, 6H and 8H, having superlattice constants 5, 7.5 and 10 Angstrom respectively. The most recent result is the negative differential conductance for polytype 8H, which is of special interest since it correlates well with the previously obtained data for 4H and 6H polytypes. In fact, the threshold electric fields of negative differential conductance are 290, 150 and 110 kV cm(-1) for polytypes 4H, 6H and 8H respectively. These data, taking into account the difference of the superlattice periods, are in good agreement with the criteria for the Bloch oscillation phenomenon. (C) 1998 Academic Press Limited.


ABSTRACT This mixed-methods study examined the subjective experience of living with chronic illness and identified barriers to self-care. Community-dwelling older women with chronic illness completed an initial (N = 138) and follow-up mailed survey 6 months later (N = 130). On average, participants reported four comorbid health conditions and the corresponding physical pain, activities curtailed or relinquished, and time and energy focused on managing health. Only 34% of participants practiced all 10 key self-care behaviors. Reported barriers to self-management included pain, lack of financial resources, and worry. In the regression analysis, having more depressive symptoms was a significant predictor of challenges with self-care behaviors.


: The role and value of the bacterial factor in development pre-natal infection of newborns is studied. It is considered microflora of patrimonial ways of pregnant women, as basic pathogenesis factor of an ascending way infection of newborns. On an example of the spent bacteriological researches correlation communication between microflora of patrimonial ways, placenta and an ascending way infection of newborns is shown.


Firms often have to integrate with supply chain partners to remain competitive in today's business environments. Information technology (IT) such as E-procurement help supports the integration of supply chain activities between partners in their daily business operations. Literatures identified that trust is important in IT adoption decisions and firms also have to adopt IT initiative when they become dependent to their suppliers or customers. This paper discussed the influence of inter-organizational trust and dependency factors on the e-procurement adoption decisions by manufacturers in Malaysia. Data were collected through survey questionnaire and the samples are manufacturing companies from various industries. Influence of trust and dependency factors were empirically tested using the Partial Least Square Regression (PLS) analysis, to determine whether they significantly influence adoption or not. Findings indicate that dependency did have a significant impact on adoption decision but not trust. The interaction of both factors however did influence adoption. Discussions of the findings together with direction for further studies are then discussed.


We report a case of vitreopapillary traction mimicking optic disc swelling in a 73-year-old female with pseudophakia in the left eye and satisfactory postoperative vision of 6/6 and N5 two years prior. She presented with insidious onset of blurred vision in her left eye for two months. She was referred to Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Medical Centre (UKMMC) for further investigations of apparent optic disc swelling in the left eye by a general ophthalmologist. Her left eye vision was 6/18, pinhole 6/12, with near vision at N6. There was no relative afferent pupillary defect and anterior segment examination was normal. Examination of the posterior segment revealed a pink optic disc with blurred and elevated margins without hyperaemia. Vessels of the optic nerve head appeared normal and a lamellar macular hole was present with dull foveal reflex clinically. Right eye examination was normal. Optical coherence tomography (OCT) of the left eye using the raster line scan showed vitreopapillary traction surrounding the optic disc and vitreomacular traction (VMT) with lamellar macular hole. The patient was counselled for surgical release of VMT, however, she opted for conservative management.
Peripapillary vitreoretinal traction is a rare cause of pseudo-optic disc swelling. Thorough fundus examination with the help of OCT is crucial in making a prompt diagnosis, preventing unnecessary investigations, and evaluating other retinal pathologies which may benefit from treatment.


At this point we often hear the difficulty of university students get jobs. Job opportunities that have too much competition. In other words, after learning to be at the secondary school level and university, it seems that the students are less executable and can not create a job opportunity that can provide lucrative income. Employers in jobs rarely employ local university products, or secondary school students with SPM and STPM certificates. The employer prefers to employ graduates from overseas universities. Why this happens, of course, because the field and approval are the same. Surely there is something to see what is necessary for school students and local universities that need to be given a major focus by educators. Areas that need to be noted are soft skills or soft skill. How we need to implement this Soft Skills to students especially historical students. One way to apply soft skill or soft skills to historical students with a variety of teaching and learning. The diversity of teaching and learning methods will certainly improve the skills of soft or Soft Skills of historical students. The various creativity of teaching and learning used by educators such as teachers and lecturers are able to produce students who are able to dominate soft skill into the future of students who are able to compete in the employment market and able to generate their own income in the local and international markets. What is the diversity of teaching and learning and soft skill will be discussed deeper in this paper.


Given the contributions of the Development Effectiveness Matrix (DEM) and the self-evaluation system of evaluability, OVE can now move away from a wholly separate system of reviewing project evaluability (as was done in 2001, 2005, and 2009). OVE can move towards a system of continuous validation, on a sample basis, of DEM scores produced by Management. The initial exercise outlined in this approach paper aims at piloting an approach to such validation while also establishing a baseline measure of how projects are performing according to the new criteria. OVE will also use this first report as an opportunity to review the DEM criteria.


The thirteen papers in "Structural Analysis of Discrete Data" are previously unpublished major research contributions solicited by the editors. They have been specifically prepared to fulfill the two-fold purpose of the volume, first to provide the econometrics student with an overview of the present extent of the subject and to delineate the boundaries of current research, both in terms of methodology and applications. "Coordinated publication of important findings" should, as the editors state, "lower the cost of entry into the field and speed dissemination of recent research into the graduate econometrics classroom."A second purpose of the volume is to communicate results largely reported in the econometrics literature to a wider community of researchers to whom they are directly relevant, including applied econometricians, statisticians in the area of discrete multivariate analysis, specialists in biometrics, psychometrics, and sociometrics, and analysts in various applied fields such as finance, marketing, and transportation.The papers are grouped into four sections: "Statistical Analysis of Discrete Probability Models, " with papers by the editors and by Steven Cosslett; "Dynamic Discrete Probability Models, " consisting of two contributions by James Heckman; "Structural Discrete Probability Models Derived from Theories of Choice, " with papers by Daniel McFadden, Gregory Fischer and Daniel Nagin, Steven Lerman and Charles Manski, and Moshe Ben-Akiva and Thawat Watanatada; and "Simultaneous Systems Models with Discrete Endogenous Variables, " with contributions by Lung-Fei Lee, Jerry Hausman and David Wise, Dale Poirier, Peter Schmidt, and Robert Avery.Among the applications treated are income maintenance experiments, physician behavior, consumer credit, and intra-urban location and transportation.


The impact of a 60 MeV proton irradiation on the static characteristics of 0.13 /spl mu/m CMOS transistors is investigated, as a function of the device length and width. It is shown that the degradation of the threshold voltage and of the transconductance exhibits a marked length dependence, with more pronounced changes for shorter devices. From the independence on the device width and the 2 nm gate dielectric (nitrided or reoxidized nitrided oxide), it is concluded that the basic damage mechanism is not related to the isolation or gate dielectric. The origin of the observed changes will be discussed in view of the two-dimensional doping profile, produced by lowly doped drain and pocket or halo implantations used to control the short-channel effects.


Osteosarcoma (OS) is the most common histological form of primary bone cancer. Long noncoding RNA nuclear enriched abundant transcript 1 (NEAT1) functions as an oncogene in some cancers. However, the functional role of NEAT1 in OS metastasis remains elusive. In the present study, we found that NEAT1 expression was significantly increased in OS tissues and cell lines. Overexpression of NEAT1 in OS tissues was correlated with higher clinical stage, distant metastasis and poorer prognosis. Loss- and gain-of-function assays showed that NEAT1 positively regulated metastasis in vitro and in vivo. In addition, ectopic expression of NEAT1 also induced epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). Mechanistic studies revealed that NEAT1 epigenetically suppresses E-cadherin expression through association with G9a-DNMT1-Snail complex. Taken together, our study reveals a critical epigenetic mechanism underlying NEAT1-mediated metastasis.


Objective Formulae used to estimate glomerular filtration rate (GFR) underestimate higher GFRs and have not been well-studied in HIV-infected (HIV(+)) people; we evaluated the relationships of HIV infection and known or potential risk factors for kidney disease with directly measured GFR and the presence of chronic kidney disease (CKD). Design Cross-sectional measurement of iohexol-based GFR (iGFR) in HIV(+) men (n = 455) receiving antiretroviral therapy, and HIV-uninfected (HIV(−)) men (n = 258) in the Multicenter AIDS Cohort Study. Methods iGFR was calculated from disappearance of infused iohexol from plasma. Determinants of GFR and the presence of CKD were compared using iGFR and GFR estimated by the CKD-Epi equation (eGFR). Results Median iGFR was higher among HIV(+) than HIV(−) men (109 vs. 106 ml/min/1.73 m2, respectively, p = .046), and was 7 ml/min higher than median eGFR. Mean iGFR was lower in men who were older, had chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection, or had a history of AIDS. Low iGFR (≤90 ml/min/1.73 m2) was associated with these factors and with black race. Other than age, factors associated with low iGFR were not observed with low eGFR. CKD was more common in HIV(+) than HIV(−) men; predictors of CKD were similar using iGFR and eGFR. Conclusions iGFR was higher than eGFR in this population of HIV-infected and -uninfected men who have sex with men. Presence of CKD was predicted equally well by iGFR and eGFR, but associations of chronic HCV infection and history of clinically-defined AIDS with mildly decreased GFR were seen only with iGFR.


This paper focuses on the packaging sector in the Greek logistics market. It seeks to
evaluate in the broader sense the packaging operations and the potential problems such
as barriers that a number of local laws, based on the European Packaging Directive
94/62/EC, might be generated in the individual markets. More specifically, the Greek
market is a special field, where the effects caused by a number of measures formulated
by the European Union, generate discrepancies compared to other member states, partly
due to the geographical position of Greece and the distance from the central European
market.
This paper also includes an investigation of a specific paper packaging supply chain,
where paper packaging acts as a significant factor for the individual companies that
participate within it


The use of hearing protection devices has become a common measure of noise control in working environments. An efficient device must shield the receiver against the sound energy radiated from the noise sources in a wide range of frequencies. If the hearing protection made available is not potentially effective in preventing on‐the‐job excessive exposures, then the hearing conservation program will not achieve its goal of adequately protecting the noise exposed population. However, the commonly used hearing protection devices do not have a significant effect on low‐frequency noise. The objective of this work is to develop an electronic device following the concepts showed by Conover's design based on superposition. The sound is decomposed by filtering, processing, and inverting in the ear channel. It must be noted that low‐cost electronic components were used, allowing it to be incorporated in hearing protectors which had already been made. Improvement of insertion loss is calculated by means of standardized procedures in order to estimate practical applications, reduction in dB(A), and transfer functions in frequency domain. The performance of conventional hearing protectors used in industrial‐noise control can be improved in some cases (low frequency), producing a significant increase in IL. [Work supported by ACHS.]


Investing beyond border reduces risk compared to traditional domestic investment; this assertion is well founded by numerous researches in financial economics. The benefit virtually emerges from two sources. Increase in the number of investible countries that widen scope of international diversification and less than perfect correlation among world markets that essentially helps in risk reduction. Thus "widening scope" and nature of co movement among markets are the two main sources of benefit from international diversification. The study, however suggests that due to various restrictions coupled with "home bias", international investors still rely on domestic market that suggests diversification inefficiency.


C-Phycocyanin from an acido-thermophilic eukaryotic alga, Cyanidium caldarium, was characterized with respect to subunit structure, absorption spectrum and fluorescence properties and was found to be similar to C-phycocyanins from mesophilic sources. The pH-dependence of fluorescence polarization and the changes in sedimentation velocity as a function of pH, concentration and temperature indicate the presence of extremely large amounts of unusually stable 19S aggregates. It was not possible to disaggregate this phycocyanin completely to monomer under normal conditions. The amino acid composition is similar to that of phycocyanins from other thermophilic and halophilic sources. The isoelectric point of this C-phycocyanin was 5.11, an unusually high value. The properties of this C-phycocyanin suggest an increase in protein stability as its mode of adaptation to the environmental stress of high temperature.


Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) Agreement was one of the most contentious issues in the Uruguay Round of multilateral trade negotiations, which was concluded in 1994 at Marrakech. The commitments under the TRIPS Agreement compelled India to amend its patent regime in 1999, 2002 and 2003 (the Amendment Bill lapsed due to the dissolution of the present Lok Sabha). This paper examines the amendments in the Indian patent system in consequence of TRIPS Agreement, and Indian reaction to the same in substantial and procedural levels. India opted for the setting up of a 'mail box' and has taken Exclusive Marketing Rights (EMR) route for the transitional period. The second section analyses the implications of transitional period and to suggest further options available to India. It also looks into the new provisions included in the Patents (Amendment) Bill 2003. This paper, based on a review of amendments to the Indian law, concludes that the Indian patents regime is inadequate to meet the challenges posed by the TRIPS Agreement. It also puts forward some suggestions to improve the patent regime in the country as a whole.


During the fermentation process, yeast cells face different stresses, and their survival and fermentation efficiency depend on their adaptation to these challenging conditions. Yeast cells must tolerate not only a single stress but also multiple simultaneous and sequential stresses. However, the adaptation and cellular response when cells are sequentially stressed are not completely understood. To explore this, we exposed a multi-stress-tolerant strain (BT0510) to different consecutive stresses to globally explore a common response, focusing on the genes induced in both stresses. Gene Ontology, pathway analyses, and common transcription factor motifs identified many processes linked to this common response. A metabolic shift to the pentose phosphate pathway, peroxisome activity, and the oxidative stress response were some of the processes found. The SYM1, STF2, and HSP genes and the transcription factors Adr1 and Usv1 may play a role in this response. This study presents a global view of the transcriptome of a multi-resistance yeast and provides new insights into the response to sequential stresses. The identified response genes can indicate future directions for the genetic engineering of yeast strains, which could improve many fermentation processes, such as those used for bioethanol production and beverages.


Ukraine has expressed its intention to follow basic principles of the European Green Deal. Most probably, Ukraine will set the goal to achieve climate neutrality of its economy by 2060. Effective reduction of GHG emission and successful implementation of the green energy transition is possible only on condition that the bioenergy sector is developing intensively. The same applies to fulfilling Ukraine's commitments within the Paris Agreement and the Energy Community. It is obvious that Ukraine urgently needs a long-term strategic document for the bioenergy sector and the Roadmap until 2050 could be such a document. The Roadmap is in line with the scenario of achieving over 60% renewable energy sources (RES) in the energy balance of Ukraine by 2050 and 100% RES by 2070. Biomass shares of all RES in 2050 assumed in the Roadmap, which are 38% in the total primary energy supply (TPES), 67% in heat production, 11% in power production and 40% in the transport sector, result in 24% of bio-energy in TPES in 2050. This corresponds to using about 20 Mtoe of biomass for energy. The obtained bioenergy benchmark figures can be used for the elaboration of a new energy strategy of Ukraine until 2050, the current strategy being only until 2035.


Acquired hemophilia is a bleeding disorder caused by the development of autoantibodies against plasma coagulation factors, most frequently against the factor VIII, or type A. We report a case of a 69-year-old patient with rheumatoid arthritis for 6 years with ecchymoses, hematomas and macroscopic hematuria, diagnosed with acquired hemophilia A secondary to rheumatoid arthritis, treated with methylprednisolone, desmopressin, activated prothrombin complex concentrate and cyclophosphamide, with remission. J Hematol. 2016;5(1):34-37 doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.14740/jh255w


This risk assessment was compiled according to terms of reference provided by the Scottish Government regarding time of delivery, title of veterinary risk assessments (VRAs) and level of detail required. EPIC scientists created a generic framework suitable for the VRAs; collated and updated existing information on risks; filled gaps in the documents (including references where appropriate); and drafted new VRAs where necessary. These documents may require updating as new information becomes available or legislation develops, or if more in-depth assessment is necessary.


The inference of gene predictors in the gene regulatory network (GRN) has become an important research area in the genomics and medical disciplines. Accurate predicators are necessary for constructing the GRN model and to enable targeted biological experiments that attempt to validate or control the regulation process. In this paper, we implement a SAT-based algorithm to determine the gene predictor set from steady state gene expression data (attractor states). Using the attractor states as input, the states are ordered into attractor cycles. For each attractor cycle ordering, all possible predictors are enumerated and a conjunctive normal form (CNF) expression is generated which encodes these predictors and their biological constraints. Each CNF is solved using a SAT solver to find candidate predictor sets. Statistical analysis of the resulting predictor sets selects the most likely predictor set of the GRN, corresponding to the attractor data. We demonstrate our algorithm on attractor state data from a melanoma study [1] and present our predictor set results.


The objective of this study was to compare the expression of Col1a1, Col1a2, and procollagen I in the seminiferous tubules of immature and adult mice and to characterize the cellular expression pattern of procollagen I in germ cells during spermatogenesis in order to provide necessary groundwork for further functional studies in the process of spermatogenesis. Microarray analysis demonstrated that Col1a1 and Col1a2 were abundantly expressed in the seminiferous tubules of 6-day-old mice compared with 60-day-old mice, and the expression levels of Col1a1 and Col1a2 mRNA were validated using a semi-quantitative RT-PCR assay. Western blot analysis further confirmed that procollagen I was expressed at a higher level in the seminiferous tubules of 6-day-old mice compared with 60-day-old mice. Immunohistochemical analysis revealed that type A spermatogonia were positive for procollagen I in the testis of 6-day-old mice, whereas Sertoli cells were negative for this protein. The in vivo procollagen I staining in type A spermatogonia was corroborated in spermatogonia exhibiting a high potential for proliferation and the ability to form germ cell colonies in in vitro culture. Moreover, procollagen I was also detected in type A spermatogonia, intermediate spermatogonia, type B spermatogonia, and preleptotene spermatocytes in the adult mouse testes, but positive staining disappeared in more differentiated germ cell lineages detaching from the basement membrane, including leptotene spermatocytes, pachytene spermatocytes, round spermatids and elongated spermatids. These data suggest that Col1a1, Col1a2 and procollagen I are associated with type A spermatogonia and play a potential role in mediating the detachment and migration of germ cells during spermatogenesis.


The little girl became blind in the right eye at the age of 6 years because of a craniopharyngioma. Fifteen years later, after four operations for the recurrent brain tumor, there appeared to be little more that could be done surgically as vision in her left eye began to fail, short-term memory became erratic, lethargy became commonplace, and she continued to try to cope with diabetes insipidus, panhypopituitarism, and a shunt to drain fluid buildup. At this point, Jesse C. Yap, MD, assistant professor of neurosurgery at the University of Minnesota (Minneapolis) Medical School and chief of stereotaxic surgery for the Minneapolis Veterans Administration Hospital, saw the patient on referral. While pondering what could be done, he recalled that radioactive yttrium had been injected into brain tumors for therapeutic reasons by neurosurgeons in Sweden, France, Britain, and elsewhere. However, yttrium is not approved by the Food and Drug Administration for


This article presents an overview of the history of athenaeums in Catalonia during the 19th and 20th centuries until the transition to democracy in the 1980s. This article outlines the essential role played by athenaeums as the backbone of the country, particularly from the cultural standpoint, while also noting that in Catalonia athenaeums have clearly gone beyond their initial cultural mission to play a key role in the political development of contemporary Catalonia as well.


In this paper the formulation of the Freeman-Durden decomposition has been extended to PolInSAR data sets. The procedure assumes that the interferometric cross-correlation for the linear basis can be decomposed into the three mechanisms considered by the Freeman-Durden approach (i.e. direct, double-bounce and volume scattering mechanisms) even though any other decomposition could be used. In this case the retrieved parameters are defined with magnitude and phase, and hence the power contribution is estimated jointly with the phase center of the scattering mechanism. Therefore, the retrieved magnitudes are also associated with their corresponding interferometric phases which are related to the vertical locations and, actually, the results must be analyzed in terms of the VV and HH interferometric cross-correlations. Indoor and airborne data have been used for testing the procedure. When compared with the original Freeman-Durden decomposition for PolSAR data some new features have been identified in both datasets as a result of the incorporation of the interferometric information.


The problem of undesired ventilation of partially submerged foils and appendages on
hydrofoils is traced from the earliest hydrofoils which appeared toward the end of the last
century. Ventilation is assessed in the context of other problems in the development of
hydrofoils, and is found to be still a serious problem. The elements of the mechanism of
ventilation inception are identified as a region of low energy and low pressure flow, a surface
seal, and the existence of a means of rupturing the surface seal. Two modes of rupture are
identified, corresponding to nose and tail ventilation. The mechanism is used to explain the
use of taper, dihedral, camber, and fences to prevent ventilation. The extension of these
techniques is discussed, as well as the possible application of some novel techniques and some
techniques presently in use in the aerodynamic field. These include separation control by
boundary layer suction and blowing, air bleed, solid and liquid fences, flaps, and controlled
ventilated cavities. Observed differences between model and prototype behaviour is the basis
of a discussion of modelling ventilation phenomena. Most existing data for similar geometries
can be reduced to functions of the dimensionless cavitation and Froude numbers. An
empirical correlation between surface drawdown and a dimensionless velocity is shown to have
wide applicability independently of geometry. Two experiments were performed to gauge the
effect of parameters suspected to influence model tests, primarily roughness, wettability and
speed. It was found that the effects of roughness and size and speed may be analogous in
certain respects. High speed cine photography revealed a mixed subsurface mode of ventilation
not previously observed. It also enabled a description of the interaction of separation,
cavitation and ventilation. The present methods for prediction of separation are presented and
used as the basis for semi-empirical predictions of the amount of blowing and suction required
to eliminate separation from struts of finite length in the presence of the free water surface.
Suction and blowing in the amounts predicted were used to retard the inception of ventilation.
The greatest success was achieved with a roughened model, which it is believed simulated full
scale conditions more accurately. The results of the experiments with separation nearly completely eliminated call into question the hypothesis that separation is a necessary precursor
of ventilation. The results of an experiment with a liquid fence barrier were mixed, but were also more successful with a roughened model.


Bill of material (BOM), which structurally represents the relation among parts constructing a product, is usually created when enterprises start to develop a new product. And it is shown as various types of BOM according to business needs and usage such as eBOM (engineering BOM), gBOM (green BOM), mBOM (manufacturing BOM), pBOM (process BOM), etc. eBOM, generally called BOM and created in the design stage of the new product, includes the drawing information of parts in the view of product function. eBOM is extended to gBOM adding the material information of parts to cope with international regulations for environment. eBOM is transformed to mBOM, which includes manufacturing sequence of parts and adds some parts required to fabricate parts and to assemble the product. mBOM is also extended to pBOM adding the process information of each part and additional assembly processes. This study introduces the concept of multi-BOM covering eBOM, gBOM, mBOM and pBOM, and proposes an advanced way to manage product data using multi-BOM system. The multi-BOM system proposed is to manage their relations using transformation function of BOM and master information of all BOMs.


A daily intake of 5 portions of fruit and vegetables (FV) is recommended for protection against non-communicable diseases (NCDs). Inadequate FV intake is a global problem but resource-poor countries like Tanzania are most deprived and constitute settings where little is known for informing public health interventions. This study aimed to describe the prevalence of inadequate FV intake, frequency of FV intake, portions of FV intake and their associations with socio-demographic/lifestyle factors in South-Eastern Tanzania. Data on FV dietary indicators, socio-demographic factors, smoking, alcohol and healthcare use were collected from 7953 participants (≥15 years) of the population-based MZIMA open community cohort (2012–2013). Multivariable logistic regression was used to examine associations between FV intake outcomes and their socio-demographic/lifestyle determinants. Most (82%) of the participants did not meet the recommended daily FV intake While only a fraction consumed fruits daily (15.5%), almost half consumed vegetables daily (44.2%). However, the median (IQR) number of vegetable portions consumed was lower (2(1)/person/day) than that for fruits (2(2)/person/day) People with higher education were more likely to consume fruits daily. Independent correlates of inadequate FV intake included young age, being male, low education, low-income occupations, low alcohol, high tobacco and low healthcare use. Public health interventions should target the socio-economically deprived and culturally-rooted preferences while prioritizing promotion of vegetable for most immediate gain in overall FV intake.


To defend against machine-generated fake news, an effective mechanism is urgently needed. We contribute a novel benchmark for fake news detection at the knowledge element level, as well as a solution for this task which incorporates cross-media consistency checking to detect the fine-grained knowledge elements making news articles misinformative. Due to training data scarcity, we also formulate a novel data synthesis method by manipulating knowledge elements within the knowledge graph to generate noisy training data with specific, hard to detect, known inconsistencies. Our detection approach outperforms the state-of-the-art (up to 16.8% accuracy gain), and more critically, yields fine-grained explanations.


Indole dearomatization is an important strategy to access indolines: a motif present in a variety of natural products and biologically active molecules. Herein, a method for transition-metal catalyzed regioselective dearomative arylboration of indoles to generate diverse indolines is presented. The method accomplishes intermolecular dearomatization of simple indoles through a migratory insertion pathway on substrates that lack activating or directing groups on the C2- or C3-positions. Synthetically useful C2- and C3-borylated indolines can be accessed through a simple change in N-protecting group in high regio- and diastereoselectivities (up to >40:1 rr and >40:1 dr) from readily available starting materials. Additionally, the origin of regioselectivity was explored experimentally and computationally to uncover the remarkable interplay between carbonyl orientation of the N-protecting group on indole, electronics of the C2-C3 π-bond, and sterics. The method enabled the first enantioselective synthesis of (-)-azamedicarpin.


Background. This study examines whether two different physiotherapy regimes used in rehabilitation after acute stroke have any differences in outcome. Material and methods. A double-blind study of patients with acute first-ever stroke. 61 patients were consecutively included, block-randomized into two groups and stratified according to gender and hemispheric location. Group 1 (33 patients) received physiotherapy in the hospital's stroke unit according to the Motor Relearning Programme (MRP), group 2 (28 patients) according to the Bobath method. Supplemental treatment did not differ. The Motor Assessment Scale (MAS), the Sødring Motor Evaluation Scale (SMES), the Barthel ADL (Activities of Daily Living) Index, and the Nottingham Health Profile (NHP) were used as outcome measures. The following variables were also registered: length of stay in hospital, use of assistive devices for mobility, and patients' accommodation after discharge. Results. Patients treated according to the MRP had shorter stays in hospital compared to those treated according to Bobath (mean 21 days vs. 34 days, p 0.01). Both groups improved on MAS and SMES, but motor functions improved significantly better in the MPP group. Both groups improved on the Barthel Index; there were no significant differences between the groups, though women treated by MRP improved more than women treated by Bobath. There were no differences between the groups in NHP scores, use of assistive devices or accommodation after discharge. Interpretation. This study indicates that physiotherapy according to the MRP is preferable to the Bobath programme in the rehabilitation of stroke patients.


Metal ions are required for many critical functions in humans. Scarcity of some metal ions can lead to disease. Well-known examples include pernicious anemia resulting from iron deficiency, growth retardation arising from insufficient di- etary zinc, and heart disease in infants owing to copper deficiency. The ability to recognize, to understand at the molecular level, and to treat diseases caused by inadequate metal-ion function constitutes an important aspect of medicinal bioinorganic chemistry. Understanding the biochemistry and molecular biology of natural detoxification mechanisms of metals can help in designing and applying chelating agents to treat metals to be excellent antitumor agents for several cancer types.


Fish epidermal mucus contains innate immune components, secreted by globlet cells that provide the primary defence against different pathogenic microbes and act as a barrier between fish and its immediate niche. The major function of mucus includes entrapment and sloughing of microbes. The mucus also contains many factors such as antimicrobial peptides (AMPs), lysozymes, lectins, proteases, etc that provide innate immunity. The AMPs secreted by epidermal mucus cells displayed antimicrobial activity against a variety of pathogens. Besides, mucosal lysozyme was found to produce significant bacteriolytic action whereas different proteases found in skin mucus of fish can kill the pathogens by cleaving its protein or by activating immunological mechanisms. Lectins are also mucosal agglutinins that play a diverse role in innate immunity like opsonization, activation of complement, etc. Epidermal mucus in fish thus provides an innate and fast acting protection which is non-specific and is found to be relatively temperature independent. The aim of the present review is to provide a broad overview of the different components of epidermal mucus including AMPs, proteases, lysozymes as well as their mode of action on pathogens.


In this article I have elucidated the diagnostic entity of the grandiose character, primary type. The concept of the primary grandiose character has been around for a long time but has not been formally elucidated. The primary grandiose character is contrasted to the reactive grandiose character, which is the type normally considered in the literature. The primary grandiose character is someone who was treated with such anticipation and succor by the parents that he learned to feel no way but good and to demand succor when he did not feel good. The reactive grandiose character is someone who originally moderated his primary grandiosity but re-intensified it in order to defend against later appearing pain, particularly of a narcissistic sort. The primary grandiose character develops a large array of fears and depressions as he learns little developmentally except how to demand. In the face of these increasing anxieties and depressions, he simply demands more and more. When he appears in treatment, he shows himself as an anxiety- and depression-ridden individual, with a strong need for help (succor). The analyst tries to help with the anxieties and depressions but the treatment goes round and round because the patient does not cathect the observing function of his own ego, only that of the analyst's ego: the analyst is to know what is wrong (observe it) and fix it. When the analyst does not fix it (although he might, for a while, observe it), the analysand's grandiose rage breaks through and he shows himself for what he is, a grandiose character, primary type. Now the task is clear but the treatment formidable. The analysand must come to observe that he is grandiose and that he has foresworn the observing function. This process, which comprises a major portion of the working through, is replete with grandiose rage, working through, grandiose rage, and working through. Ultimately the patient discovers the great strength that comes from decreased reliance on the observing ego of others and increased reliance on his own observing ego. A number of diagnostic entities and clinical behaviors are shown to have a primary grandiose base. And rather than some of these depending upon repression as the basic defense, it would seem that they depend on a pre-stage of repression, akin to the concept of biological irritability. The concepts of secondary grandiosity, partial grandiosity, and developmental grandiosity are natural corollaries to the concept of primary grandiosity.


Objective: This systematic review and meta-analysis compared the patient-reported outcomes of intra-articular facet joint injections of normal saline and selected active substances to identify a more effective agent for treating subacute and chronic low back pain (LBP). Methods: The PubMed, Embase, Scopus, Web of Science, and CENTRAL databases were searched for randomized controlled trials and observational studies published in English. A research quality assessment was performed using ROB2 and ROBINS-I. A meta-analysis was conducted using a random-effects model, and the mean differences (MD) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) in efficacy outcomes, including pain, numbness, disability, and quality of life, were assessed. Results: Of the 2467 potential studies, 3 were included (247 patients). The active substances and normal saline had similar therapeutic effects on pain within 1 h, after 1–1.5 months, and after 3–6 months, with MD and 95% CI of 2.43 and −11.61 to 16.50, −0.63 and −7.97 to 6.72, and 1.90 and −16.03 to 19.83, respectively, as well as on the quality of life after 1 and 6 months. Conclusions: The short- and long-term clinical effects of intra-articular facet joint injections of normal saline are comparable to those of other active substances in patients with LBP.


A search for the rare decays B 0 s → τ þ τ − and B 0 → τ þ τ − is performed using proton – proton collision data collected with the LHCb detector. The data sample corresponds to an integrated luminosity of 3 fb − 1 collected in 2011 and 2012. The τ leptons are reconstructed through the decay τ − → π − π þ π − ν τ . Assuming no contribution from B 0 → τ þ τ − decays, an upper limit is set on the branching fraction B ð B 0 s → τ þ τ − Þ < 6 . 8 × 10 − 3 at the 95% confidence level. If instead no contribution from B 0 s → τ þ τ − decays is assumed, the limit is B ð B 0 → τ þ τ − Þ < 2 . 1 × 10 − 3 at the 95% confidence level. These results correspond to the first direct limit on B ð B 0 s → τ þ τ − Þ and the world ' s best limit on B ð B 0 → τ þ τ − Þ .


Communication is the very lifeblood to succeed in life, whether it is your personal life or professional life. So, it is important to develop and enhance the communication skills of undergraduates, especially engineering students. Organizations are willing to invest in students who showcase the true potential and are employable. Communication is multi-faceted. It will be beneficial to improve the students' language skills, such as listening, speaking, reading, and talking. In addition to the four mentioned skills, emphasis should also be given to general knowledge, vocabulary building, and non-verbal communication, thereby growing a versatile, confident and generation of students ready to face the real world. In light of the above-mentioned points, an assignment on creating a recorded video presentation was given to the first-year engineering students using the ICT tool. During lockdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic, this assignment was given to develop their communication skills. Moreover, oral feedback was collected from students to understand their key-take away from a virtual learning platform. This paper will focus on how self-learning can also be a good form of pedagogy to improve one's communication skills by the medium of presentations. The results showed that self-learning could improve communication skills through digital presentations.


Changes during pregnancy affect negatively or positively the fetus and his entire remaining course. Aim: The aim of the present study was to show the relationship between the pregnant woman and the formation of the psychology of the fetus. Method and Material: The methodology of this study includes bibliography research from both the review and the research literature on PubMed, Cinahl and PsycINFO databases (1990-2011) which refers to the factors that affect the fetus' psychology. The keywords that were used were the following: "prenatal psychology", "fetus psychology", "pregnancy", "stress". Results: According to the bibliography, the negative intentions of being pregnant and stress during pregnancy have been associated with low-birth weight, pre-term birth, emotional and behavioral development of the child. Conclusions: If the pregnant woman keeps her balance then it is of great importance for the fetus, as if any disorder during prenatal and perinatal period can influence it negatively. On the contrary, the normal communication between the mother and the fetus is decisive for his normal development.


Borderline personality disorder is a severe, psychologically and socially debilitating condition that tends to develop in people who have experienced multiple forms of adversity in their early lives. For a variety of reasons, most research into the aetiology of the disorder has focused on women. This research seeks to explore potential aetiological factors among men. There is evidence that known risk factors for BPD differ in incidence between men and women, and that responses to and interpretations of such experiences may also differ by gender. It is possible, then, that BPD may develop along different pathways for men and women, or may act on different vulnerabilities. These differences may be clinically significant, and could influence the way in which therapeutic interventions are conceptualised and delivered. The first section, a review paper, describes and critiques the existing research into risk factors for BPD, including aspects of childhood maltreatment and neurobiological markers of the disorder. It examines the literature on gender and BPD, exploring explanations for the apparent rarity of men in research and clinical settings. The review then evaluates the existing research specifically regarding men with BPD, and makes a case for a more inclusive programme of research, incorporating a consideration of gender-specific risk factors. The second section, an empirical paper, presents an analysis of the responses of 30 men, 19 meeting criteria for BPD and 11 forming a psychiatric control group, to questions exploring their childhood experiences of abuse, neglect and adversity, and their current symptomatology. Characteristics of the BPD group were described, and hypotheses regarding the nature and severity of experiences of maltreatment between the BPD and non-BPD group were tested. Then, the findings of this study were compared with those of two recent similar studies. Finally, the paper discusses the theoretical and clinical implications of the results, appraises their validity, and makes suggestions for further investigation. Third, a critical appraisal reflects on several salient issues in some depth. It examines criteria for BPD in the light of gender differences and patterns of responding in this study, and explores the validity of the diagnosis for men. Methodological debates regarding the use of retrospective data collection are detailed and the decisions made in the current study discussed. Finally, some observations are made regarding the research process, noting challenges endemic in research in this area, and specific points of learning.


The theory of memory reconsolidation argues that consolidated memory is not unchangeable. Once a memory is reactivated it may go back into an unstable state and need new protein synthesis to be consolidated again, which is called "memory reconsolidation". Boundary studies have shown that interfering with reconsolidation through pharmacologic or behavioral intervention can lead to the updating of the initial memory, for example, erasing undesired memories. Behavioral procedures based on memory reconsolidation interference have been shown to be an effective way to inhibit fear memory relapse after extinction. However, the effectiveness of retrieval–extinction differs by subtle differences in the protocol of the reactivation session. This represents a challenge with regard to finding an optimal operational model to facilitate its clinical use for patients suffering from pathogenic memories such as those associated with post-traumatic stress disorder. Most of the laboratory models for fear learning have used a single conditioned stimulus (CS) paired with an unconditioned stimulus (US). This has simplified the real situation of traumatic events to an excessive degree, and thus, limits the clinical application of the findings based on these models. Here, we used a basic visual compound CS model as the CS to ascertain whether partial repetition of the compound CSs in conditioning can reactivate memory into reconsolidation. The results showed that the no retrieval group or the 1/3 ratio retrieval group failed to open the memory reconsolidation time window. The 2/3 repetition retrieval group and the whole repetition retrieval group were able to prevent fear reinstatement, whereas only a 2/3 ratio repetition of the initial compound CS as a reminder could inhibit spontaneous recovery. We inferred that a retrieval–extinction paradigm was also effective in a more complex model of fear if a sufficient prediction error (PE) could be generated in the reactivation period. In addition, in order to achieve an optimal effect, a CS of moderate discrepancy should be used as a reminder.


Examined in this book in the author's continuing series are the Austro-Hungarian Empire's machinegun, medical, artillery, infantry, cavalry and communication units. Other chapters cover distinguished branches, such as k.u.k. Kriegsmarine (Navy), Seeflieger (Naval Aviation), Generalstab (General Staff) and Beamten (Civil Servants). Also covered are the Bulgarian machinegun, medical, artillery, searchlight, communication and cavalry units. Further chapters cover Bulgarian and other countries medals, orders, and decorations worn by royalty and high ranking command as well by the frontline soldier.


Dermatophilus-like bacteria were observed in histological examinations of samples of diseased foot skin from greater flamingos (Phoenicopterus roseus) living in zoological gardens in Switzerland. When grown on TSA-SB containing polymyxin B, the bacteria isolated from these skin samples formed hyphae, as is typical for Dermatophilus congolensis, but these bacteria were non-haemolytic. The closest relatives based on 16S rRNA gene sequences were the two members of the genus Arsenicicoccus, Arsenicicoccus bolidensis and Arsenicicoccus piscis. A representative of the isolated strains shared 34.3 % DNA-DNA relatedness with the type strain of A. bolidensis, 32.3 % with the type strain of A. piscis and 34.5 % with the type strain of D. congolensis, demonstrating that these strains do not belong to any of these species. The phenotypic characteristics differed from those of members of the genus Arsenicicoccus as well as from those of D. congolensis. The G+C content of strain KM 894/11(T) was 71.6 mol%. The most abundant fatty acids were iso-C15 : 0, summed feature 3 (including C16 : 1ω7c and/or iso-C15 : 0 2-OH) and C18 : 1ω9c. MK-8(H4) was the predominant menaquinone. Cell-wall structure analysis revealed that the peptidoglycan type was A3γ ll-Dpm-Gly (type A41.1). Based on genotypic and chemotaxonomic characteristics, the isolated strains represent a novel species within the genus Arsenicicoccus, for which the name Arsenicicoccus dermatophilus sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is KM 894/11(T) ( = DSM 25571(T) = CCUG 62181(T) = CCOS 690(T)), and strain KM 1/12 ( = DSM 25572 = CCUG 62182 = CCOS 691) is a reference strain.